FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS 1. Eric Lichaj Jersey . MO CHEEKS (Pistons): Out as coach. Am I surprised? No. The team is dysfunctional and is a collection of parts that dont know how to or want to commit to playing team ball. Talent - sure theyve got that but they look like a summer AAU team with a bunch of guys that are looking to showcase their individual games. Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings are Exhibit A and B. When does President/GM Joe Dumars eventually admit that hes lost his way and submit his resignation? How many more coaches are going to be blamed for his moves? Maybe Lionel Hollins comes in and saves Dumars job. Hollins is a no-nonsense coach who wont tolerate whats gone on there of late. Better get this right and quick. 2. TORONTO RAPTORS SCHEDULE: Have played a ton (28) of road games already. At 14-14 thats respectable but the time to win the Atlantic Division and also try to claim the third seed in the East has come. 19 of the final 32 games are at home. They have under-performed at home with a record of 12-10 and for this season to take off in a positive direction again the assertive play must reappear. To have a really nice season you hang around .500 on the road which theyve done and you take no prisoners at home. The schedule has turned with no more than two games in a row on the road the rest of the way. Time to get it done. They are more than capable of doing it. 3. GORAN DRAGIC (Suns): You see his numbers (27 points and six assists) since he was snubbed from the West All-Star team. The man is on a mission. Without Eric Bledsoe he has kept his team at a high level. Hes wonderfully skilled but what Ive seen of late as well is a little nasty streak like hes got even more to prove. Good for him. Hes doing it. 4. TAJ GIBSON (Bulls): He has been given the opportunity to start and play more minutes and hes delivering. Love his energy and second effort. Improved his face-up game and can get his game off in the lane though hes a bit undersized. Considering that Carlos Boozer looks like a guy that will be amnestied next season its going to be important in this homestretch of the season to determine if Gibson can carry starters minutes and hold up effectively. So far - solid. 5. NIKOLA VUCEVIC (Magic): Back from a concussion and suddenly the Magic are beating elite teams. Hes a terrific young player who was an absolute steal for them. When hes played this year he is scoring over 13 points and getting close to 11 boards a game while shooting 50 per cent. The stability of having a guy you can throw it into the post and get productivity from is so helpful. Hes a tough guy on the backboards and competes hard. Knows and accepts his role and is a good long term fit for their franchise. A keeper. Clint Dempsey Jersey . "Its not done, but its a huge step," Hannover general manager Dirk Dufner said. Poor defending allowed the visitors to score in the second minute, when Leon Andreasens header from Christian Panders cross sent the ball inside the far post. Jordan Morris Jersey . MLB.com reported that the Dodgers locked the left-hander in for one year at $10 million with up to $4 million in incentives. http://www.soccerusafansshop.com/Tim-Ream-America-Jersey/ . The star receiver certainly isnt celebrating it with the Texans mired in a franchise-record 13-game skid. PHILADELPHIA -- Cole Hamels used an amped-up fastball in his latest dominant performance. Hamels pitched eight strong innings and Chase Utley had a tiebreaking RBI single in the fifth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. Hamels (5-5) got the better of Tim Hudson in a matchup between starters who have combined for seven All-Star appearances. The Philadelphia left-hander gave up six hits while striking out 10 and walking one. More noted for his changeup, Hamels has found an extra gear for his fastball over his last two starts. After using it to shut down Atlanta in a 2-1 win last Saturday, Hamels frequently featured a heater that again touched the mid-90s. "Hes really gone with his fastball to set up his other pitches," Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Hes got everything behind him. Hes feeling very good; hes feeling strong." Added Hamels: "Everything was coming out the right way. I wasnt having to put as much effort into each pitch." Hudson (8-7) gave up two runs in six innings although both were unearned. The right-hander struck out six and walked two. "Youre hoping your guy gives you a chance, and thats what (Hudson) did," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "He pitched great." The Giants, who were looking for their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1998, lost for just the second time in eight games. San Franciscos lead over the idle Dodgers in the NL West dropped to 1 1/2 games entering this weekends three-game series between the rivals at AT&T Park. Despite the defeat, the Giants return home feeling positive after a 5-2 road trip. "Thats a really good road trip," Bochy said. "Weve got a big series ahead of us. Its going to be a good, exciting series. Its what you play for." Utley, Marlon Byrd and Wil Nieves had a pair of hits for Philadelphia, which snapped its four-game losing streak while winning for just the second time in nine games. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 24th save in 27 opportunities to stop a rocky stretch. Papelbon blew his third save in Tuesdays 9-6, 14-inning defeat and took the loss in Wednesdays 3-1 loss. He was booed upon entering the field and then again when he was introduced by PA announcer Dan Baker. Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 inning to tie Goose Gossage for 21st place on the all-time save list with career save No. 310. Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard wasnt in the lineup for the second straight day as Sandberg has decided to look elsewhere to find production from first base. Howard has been in a power drought with just one homer since June 19 and his .224 average, .377 slugging percentage and .682 on-base plus slugging mark are well off his usual production. The movee was eye-opening considering the three-time All-Star and former MVPs dominance against Hudson, against whom he has batted . Perry Kitchen Jersey. 328 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 67 career at-bats. Howards replacement, Darin Ruf, went 1-for-4 with a strikeout. "I wanted to see (Ruf) play for a couple of games, get him some at-bats and basically go from there," Sandberg said. "Well continue to watch." Sandberg met with Howard prior to the game, and Howard said he wanted to be in the lineup. But the manager made no promises, adding that a platoon with the right-handed hitting Ruf was possible. "If he has trouble against left-handed pitching and Darin Ruf is swinging it, that becomes an option," Sandberg said. "If (a platoon) becomes the scenario and both guys are going well, thats a good scenario." The Phillies got some help on both of their runs off of Hudson. In the first, Jimmy Rollins hit a one-out double, went to third on a passed ball and scored on Byrds single to left. San Francisco tied the game in the fifth on Ehire Adrianzas RBI single to centre. Philadelphia got some more good fortune in the bottom of the frame as Ben Revere opened the inning with a medium flyball to left. Michael Morse charged hard but couldnt come up with the grab and the error allowed Revere to reach second. Revere scored on Utleys single to centre. Hamels went at least seven innings for the 13th time in the last 15 starts and gave up three runs or less for the 11th consecutive outing. The left-hander reached double-digits in strikeouts for the fourth time this season and 27th in his career. Hamels cooled off Hunter Pence, who went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Pence entered batting .412 with a homer and six RBIs in the series, including the game-winning double in Wednesdays 3-1 Giants victory. "I dont ever recall his fastball being as good as it was today," Hudson said. Nieves came up limping after moving awkwardly to block a fourth-inning pitch to Adam Duvall but stayed in the game. Nieves was activated Monday after spending a month on the DL with a strained right quad. NOTES: Adrianza strained his right hamstring running the bases in the fifth inning. Bochy said hell be evaluated further on Friday. ... The Giants open a pivotal three-game series at home against the rival Dodgers on Friday with San Francisco right-hander Tim Lincecum (9-6, 3.68) opposing Los Angeles right-hander Zack Greinke (11-6, 2.90). . Philadelphia hosts Arizona for a three-game set that begins Friday when Diamondbacks lefty Wade Miley (6-6, 4.16) takes on Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick (4-10, 4.87). . The Giants last swept a four-game series against the Phillies Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 1999, and last did it in Philadelphia July 31-Aug. 3, 1998. White NFL Jerseys Cheap Youth NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Stitched NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Discount Jerseys ' ' '